Hamper



H. e. LANKFORD, JR

Nov. 28, 1950 HAMPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May s, 1946 Nov. 28, 1950 H. G. LANKFORD, JR

HAMPER '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 3, 1946 INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAMPER Harry G. Lankford, Jr., Wichita, Kans.

Application May 3, 1946, Serial No. 667,171

16 Claims. 1

This invention relates to hampers, and more particularly to a novel, handy hamper of general utility.

Due to the shortage of domestic help, more and more housewives are doing their own laundry. Due to the same reason, and to practices born of the war, many stores make no deliveries so iat housewives must do their own shopping and carry home their purchases. Crowded living conditions have increased the percentage of families living in apartments of the type having no elevators so that purchases must be carried up and down stairs. Many laundries are situated in the basement so that it is necessary for a housewife first to carry the soiled linen down to the laundry, then carry the wet washed linen out to be dried, and then to carry the dry linen back to the living quarters to be ironed.

One object of this invention is to provide a hamper of simple, sturdy, and economical construction for carrying clothes, foodstuffs, and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a handy, clean, and sanitary hamper which may be transported readily up and down stairs.

Another object of this invention is to provide a light weight hamper of general utility in connection with a housewifes duties, for use in laundering, shopping, and if desired, as a perambulator for airing the baby.

Another object of this invention is to provide a portable hamper which, when not in use, may be employed as a depository for soiled linen preparatory to laundering.

Other and further objects of this invention will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of the instant specification, and which are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views;

Fig. 1 is an elevation showing the novel hamper of this invention in the position it occupies in ascending or descending stairs.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the hamper of this invention showing the handle in retracted position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rear view of a portion of the hamper showing the clothespin pocket.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View on an enlarged scale taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the bottom member of the. fabric basket of the hamper.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the framework of the hamper of this invention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, shown on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary rear View of a portion of the hamper and framework in the vicinity of the handle attaching means.

Fig. 9 is a sectional View taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a. fragmentary sectional view taken along the line Ill-Ill of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line ll-Il of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of a wheel of the novel hamper.

Fig. 13 is a sectional View taken along the line l3!3 of Fig. 12, shown on an enlarged scale.

Referring now to the drawings, in one embodiment of this invention the entire framework is formed by a pair of lengths of seamless tubing indicated generally by the reference numerals l4 and IS. The light, durable seamless steel tubing is bent, as can best be seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 6, to form a framework. Each of the two tubes are joined at their ends at E8 and 26, as can be seen by reference to Fig. 6. The particular joint may take any suitable form, a convenient joint being shown in Fig. 7, in which a smaller tube 22 bridges the joint 2B, and the metal of the outer tube It and the inner tube 22 is dented by means of a punch or the like to form a plurality of re-entrant portions 24. Still referring to Fig. 6, the pair of tubes 14 and it are secured by rivets, bolts, pins, or the like, 26, 28, 30, and 32, thus forming an upper loop portion 34 adapted to support a basket of any suitable type such as a fabric bag of canvas or the like. The plane of the loop is normally parallel to the floor, supporting the assembly. Each of the tubes i4 and I6 accordingly have their upper portion bent in the form of a half loop so when assembled a complete loop will be formed. A vertically extending portion 36 on tube M, and 38 on tube 56, when joined together form a column. The lower portion 40 of tube l4 and the lower portion 42 of tube l6 extend outwardly from vertical portions 36 and 38, substantially parallel to the plane of the floor, and make a diverging angle with each other, thus forming in effect a triangular base. At each apex of the base of the triangular supporting portion of the framework, there is mounted a wheel 44 and 46. The plane of the triangular base portion is substantially parallel to the plane of the loop 34. The length of the triangular base portion is such that the wheels are disposed considerably forward of a vertical plane drawn through the center of gravity of the framework so that there is good stability about a transverse axis. The divergence of the base portions 40 and 42 is such as to provide such spacing between the wheels 44 and 46 to provide good stability about a fore and aft axis. Adjacent the wheels M and 46, the rail [4 is bent upwardly to provide a runner portion 48, and the tube I6 is bent upwardly to form a runner portion 50. The runners 48 and 58 extend at an angle of 45 degrees. A short section 52 and a short section 54 extend parallel to each other. The portions 48 and 50 begin their upward course somewhat rearwardly of the wheels 44 and 46 so that when the runners 48 and 50 are supported from a stairs, as shown in Fig. 1, the wheels 44 and 16 are clear of the steps of the stairs. The upper ends of the runner portions 48 and 50 are joined to a forward short vertical column 55 by inclined portions 58 and 60. The column 56 is formed of a vertical portion 62 formed in the tube [4 and a vertical portion 64 formed in the tube l6. A handle-supporting strap 66 formed of sheet metal or the like is secured between the vertical portions 64 and 62 by the bolts 30 and 32, and houses a portion of the handle 68, which may be of any suitable cross section, circular, square, hexagonal, or the like. The upper portion of the handle strap 66 carries a housing in which is lodged a pin 12 normally urged toward the handle by a spring M. The handle is formed with a plurality of re-entrant portions or sockets 16 in which the end 18 of the pin 12 is adapted to seat. By withdrawing the pin 12 against the action of the spring I l, the end 18 of the pin 12 will be moved clear of the sockets l6, permitting the handle 68 to be adjusted upwardly or downwardly, as desired by the user.

The basket 82 itself may be made of duck or canvas or the like 84, and is snapped in place by a plurality of glove fasteners as, supported from the loop 3d. The shape of the upper portion of the basket is determined by the loop 34. The

shape of the lower portion of the basket is determined by a bottom member 86 which may be made of fiber, wood, metal, or the like. Attached to one portion of the basket 82 is a pocket 88 which may be used for holding clothespins or the like when the hamper is to be used as a laundry basket.

The wheels are secured to the framework in a simple and expeditious manner. An axle 5G is passed through an opening formed in the rail 54, the outer end 92 being flanged to secure one end of the axle 90 in the frame 54. The wheel 46, which may be of any suitable construction, is journaled around an axle portion. A washer 94 is interposed between one side of the wheel 46 and the frame 54. A washer 96 is placed against the other side of the wheel. The end of the axle is flared by a punch or the like to deform the metal of the axle at 98 to prevent the washer 96 from being removed. The wheel is thus journaled in a rapid and simple manner.

It will be seen that the objects of the invention have been accomplished. There is provided a handy hamper which is readily portable, including its movement up and down stairs. When not in use it may be used as a hamper for holding soiled linen, in which case the handle is housed to the position shown in Fig. 2. The hamper has general utility, though it is especially adapted for laundry purposes. The hamper itself issupported at a distance from the floor so: that the user need not stoop or bend over to remove or insert clothes. It is approximately of the right working height for use in ironing clothes or in washing clothes. The basket itself can be easily removed by the glove fasteners and washed. The clothespin pocket is provided also at the right working height. Due to the placement of the wheels to one side of the plane through the center of gravity there is substantially no danger of tipping. The handle may be locked in any position and it may be extended for easy operation of the hamper in going up and coming down stairs. A typical embodiment of this invention is very light and yet of durable constructlon. One twenty inches wide, thirty inches long, and thirty-two inches high will weigh about eight pounds. The bottom board 86 would measure about fourteen by sixteen inches and furnishes a smooth bottom so that if ironed clothes are laid in the hamper they will not be wrinkled. Due to the fact that the fabric basket per se may be readily removed, the same framework can be employed with a different basket for carrying foodstuffs.

It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A portable hamper, including in combination a frame having an upper receptacle support for supporting a receptacle throughout substantially its entire periphery, a base spaced below the support, a pair of frame members extending between opposite margins of the support and the base, one of said frame members being substantially vertical between one of said margins of the support and the base, the other of said frame members having a vertically extending upper portion depenc'ing from the other of said margins and a lower portion extending at an angle to the vertical to form a runner surface, and a receptacle carried by said support.

2. A portable hamper, including in combination a frame having an upper receptacle support lying substantially in a horizontal plane and '1; supporting a receptacle throughout substantially its entire periphery, a base spaced below the support and lying in a plane substantially parallel thereto, a pair of frame members extending between opposite margins of said support and said base, one of said frame members havin the form of a substantially vertical column depending from one of said margins, the other of said frame members having an upper portion in the form of a substantially vertical column depending from the other of said margins and a lower portion in the form of a pair of separated angularly disposed runners, and a receptacle carried by said support.

3. A portable hamper, including in combination an upright frame having an upper receptacle supgins of the support and the base, the other of said frame members having a substantially vertical extending upper portion depending from the other of said margins and a plurality of lower portions extending at an angle to the vertical to form a plurality of runner surfaces, a receptacle carried solely by said support, and a pair of wheels carried by said base adjacent the lower portion of said angularly extending frame memher.

4. A portable hamper, including in combination an upright frame having an upper receptacle support lying substantially in a horizontal plane and supporting a receptacle throughout substantially its entire periphery, a base positioned below the support and lying in a plane substantially parallel thereto, a pair of frame members extending between opposite margins of said support and said base, one of said frame members having the form of a substantially vertical column depending from one of said margins, the other of said frame members having an upper portion in the form of a substantially vertical column depending from the other of said margins and a lower portion in the form of a pair of separated angularly disposed runners, a receptacle carried solely by said support, and a pair of wheels carried by said base adjacent said runners.

5. A portable hamper as in claim 2, including in combination a strap carried adjacent the vertical upper portion of the other of said frame members, and a handle adjustably supported in and by said strap.

6. A portable hamper as in claim 2, including in combination a strap carried adjacent the vertical upper portion of the other of said frame members, a handle supported in and by said strap, and means for slidably securing said handle in said strap.

7. A portable hamper as in claim 1 in which said support is formed with a substantially continuous loop, and readily removable means for securing said receptacle to said loop.

8. A portable hamper as in claim 1 in which said support is formed with a substantially continuous loop, and said receptacle comprises a fabric bag and means associated with said bag for detachably securing the mouth of said fabric bag to said loop.

9. A portable hamper as in claim 1 in which said support is formed with a substantially continuous loop, said receptacle comprises a shallow fabric bag and means for detachably securing the mouth of said fabric bag to said loop, said loop 1' forming said bags sole support, and a substantially rigid removable bottom member carried in said bag.

10. A portable hamper as in claim 1 in which said receptacle comprises a shallow fabric bag and a pocket formed on the exterior of said fabric bag.

11. A portable hamper as in claim 3 in which said wheels are journaled upon axles, said axles extending through said base and having their ends flared to hold said Wheels in position.

12. A portable hamper as in claim 3 in which said wheels are journaled upon axles, said axles extending through said base and having their ends flared to hold said wheels in position, and washers flanking each of said wheels, the two washers at the ends of said axles being fixed in position by the flared ends of said axles.

13. A portable hamper, including in combination a frame formed by a pair of elongated metal members, each of said elongated members being bent, viewed from the rear outwardly and inwardly along a locus to form a semi-loop extending in a generally horizontal direction, downwardly at the rear, then outwardly and forwardly to form a base, then upwardly to form runner portions, then inwardly and upwardly to meet, then upwardly to form a short column portion, and means for securing said frame members to each other.

14. A portable hamper as in claim 13 in which said elongated metal members are formed of tubing.

15. A hamper as in claim 13 in which said elongated metal members are formed of seamless steel tubing, and means for securing the ends of said tubin to each other.

16. A hamper as in claim 13 in which said means for securing said elongated metal members to each other comprise fastening members located in the region of the vertically extending portions of said elongated metal members.

HARRY G. LANKFORD, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 577,089 Waring Feb. 16, 1897 846,552 Collins et a1. Mar. 12 1907 939,508 Hull Nov. 9, 1909 962,025 Holloway June 21, 1910 1,255,484 Stephens Feb. 5, 1918 1,357,117 Rhodes Oct. 26, 1920 1,534,346 White Apr. 21, 1925 1,542,164 Nelson June 16, 1925 1,554,034 Richie Sept. 15, 1925 1,901,878 Schwenk Mar. 21, 1933 1,996,303 McConnell Apr. 2, 1935 2,226,098 Hedstrom Dec. 24, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 498,371 France Jan. 9, 1920 

